A Short History of the Armoire

While the armoire of today is often thought of as just a synonym for an expensive stand alone wardrobe cabinet, it has a long history that goes back hundreds of years. In fact, this history covers far more than just the usage of wardrobes!

The term itself traces its lineage back to the french language. It roughly translates as a piece of furniture that is made of wood and is used for storage. The first appearance of the word is said to have come about in the 16th century. What’s interesting to note though is that back then the armoire was not made for holding a man or a woman’s clothes. Far from it!

It was actually a home to a very different type of common household item: the family weapons.

Strange but true – firearms and weapons were the primary item stored in armoires back in the 16th century! Who would’ve thought that such a lovely item of today was used for such practical, if not nefarious, purposes, by our ancestors? Somewhere along the line, probably as the designed changed to accommodate homes needed a sound structure for clothing and wardrobe items, it evolved to become a storage unit for such things. Not until relatively recent times were houses built to have a small tiny room that we now refer to as the closet. Instead, items such as the armoire filled in the need by providing a stand alone closet for storing a family’s clothing.

Flash forward to today, and the armoire is still in use, although few have any idea of its french origins! While it’s most commonly used as a wardrobe cabinet still, it’s also a popular item for computers (i.e. the computer armoire) and televisions (i.e. the entertainment armoire), and other undefined storage purposes. While cheaper plastic or cloth armoires are available, the vast majority are still made of woods (including anything from cheap wood composite to elegant oaks and maples) and start at a couple hundred dollars on up to the many thousands of dollars.